Program Management Leader - Major Structures

Job Overview & Responsibilities

The Major Structures Engineering Leader is responsible for leading the engineering organization supporting launch vehicle tank fabrication and weld, major structural assemblies, and composite structures. Located in Decatur, Alabama, this position provides engineering leadership across production support, technical issue resolution, hardware acceptance and certification, and continuous improvement.

The successful candidate will lead a high-performing engineering organization focused on enabling safe, compliant, predictable, and efficient production. This leader will partner closely with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Program Management, and the broader engineering organization to resolve technical issues, improve hardware and process maturity, and support increasing production rates.

Responsibilities include:

• Lead the engineering organization supporting tank fabrication and weld, major structural assemblies, and composite structures.
• Provide engineering leadership and accountability throughout hardware fabrication, assembly, inspection, acceptance, and certification.
• Partner with Operations and Quality leadership to align engineering priorities, staffing, and execution with production needs and business objectives.
• Lead timely and disciplined resolution of technical issues affecting safety, quality, cost, schedule, and hardware certification.
• Integrate production support engineering, responsible engineering, analysis, materials and processes, Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, and other technical organizations to resolve complex issues.
• Drive recurring issue elimination and continuous improvement by identifying systemic production constraints and implementing product and process improvements.
• Ensure engineering changes, technical decisions, nonconformances, and open technical work are effectively managed while maintaining configuration and certification integrity.
• Establish and monitor organizational performance measures for engineering responsiveness, issue resolution, recurring defect reduction, and production continuity.
• Develop and execute organizational, staffing, talent development, and succession plans to support increasing production cadence and long-term technical capability.
• Foster a One Team culture across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program organizations with shared accountability for mission success and production execution.

Bachelor

Please reference the Basic Qualification for minimum years of related work experience required.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited college or university.
• Minimum of 8 years of relevant work experience plus a minimum of 4 years of management or leadership experience of leading teams.
• Demonstrated technical leadership experience in the development, production, integration, or sustainment of complex aerospace or high-rate production environment.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and resolving complex technical issues.
• Experience working in a production or manufacturing environment and integrating engineering execution across Operations, Quality, and technical organizations.
• Experience with personnel management, including employee development, performance management, organizational planning, and talent development.
• Demonstrated ability to establish priorities and lead execution in an environment with competing technical, cost, and schedule demands.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with employees, peers, senior leadership, customers, and stakeholders.

• Experience with launch vehicle, spacecraft, aerospace, defense, or other complex high-reliability hardware production.
• Experience with large welded structures, pressure vessels, cryogenic tanks, major structural assemblies, composite structures, or related manufacturing processes.
• Experience with nonconformance review, technical disposition, root cause analysis, corrective action, and recurring defect elimination.
• Experience supporting hardware acceptance, product certification, flight readiness, or mission assurance activities.
• Program management skills, including cost and schedule management, risk management, resource planning, and business execution.
• CAM knowledge and experience.
• Experience developing and leading teams, including experience developing leads and leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to resolve complex cross-organizational challenges and conflicts.

• 401(k) match plus an additional employer contribution
• Discretionary annual incentive bonus for eligible employees
• Generous paid time off
• Flexible work environments

Additionally, most salaried ULA team members work a "9/80 schedule," meaning they enjoy every other Friday off.

Benefits and work schedules may vary for union-represented hourly positions and are described in the applicable collective bargaining…